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Phenotypic plasticity of Spartina alterniflora and Phragmites australis in response to nitrogen addition and intraspecific competition

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Abstract

Phenotypic plasticity of the two salt marsh grasses Spartina alterniflora and Phragmites australis in salt marshes is crucial to their invasive ability, but the importance of phenotypic plasticity, nitrogen levels, and intraspecific competition to the success of the two species is unclear at present. Spartina alterniflora Loisel. is an extensively invasive species that has increased dramatically in distribution and abundance on the Chinese and European coasts, and has had considerable ecological impacts in the regions where it has established. Meanwhile, Phragmites australis Cav., a native salt marsh species on the east coast of China, has replaced the native S. alterniflora in many marshes along the Atlantic Coast of the US. This study determined the effects of nitrogen availability and culm density on the morphology, growth, and biomass allocation traits of Spartina alterniflora and Phragmites australis. A large number of morphological, growth, and biomass parameters were measured, and various derived values (culm: root ratio, specific leaf area, etc.) were calculated, along with an index of phenotypic plasticity. Nitrogen addition significantly affected growth performance and biomass allocation traits of Spartina alterniflora, and culm density significantly affected morphological characteristics in a negative way, especially for Spartina alterniflora. However, there were no significant interactions between nitrogen levels and culm density on the morphological parameters, growth performances parameters, and biomass allocation parameters of the two species. Spartina alterniflora appears to respond more strongly to nitrogen than to culm density and this pattern of phenotypic plasticity appears to offer an expedition for successful invasion and displacement of Phramites australias in China. The implication of this study is that, in response to the environmental changes that are increasing nitrogen levels, the range of Spartina alterniflora is expected to continue to expand on the east coast of China.

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Acknowledgement

This study is financially supported by the Special Research Program for Public- welfare Forestry (200804005), the Natural Scientific Foundation of Jiangsu Province, China (BK2009154), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 30770358 and 30700061), the Fund of Post-doctor in Jangshu Province (0901017C) and Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (BK 2007152). The authors thank the colleagues and students from Nanjing University for helping with field and lab experiments.

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  1. The Institute of Wetland Ecology, School of Life Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China

    Yong jun Zhao, Hua Qing, Cong jiao Zhao, Chang fang Zhou, Wen guang Zhang, Yan Xiao & Shu qing An

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  1. Yong jun Zhao
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  2. Hua Qing
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  3. Cong jiao Zhao
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  4. Chang fang Zhou
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  5. Wen guang Zhang
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  6. Yan Xiao
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  7. Shu qing An
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Correspondence to Shu qing An.

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Yong jun Zhao and Hua Qing are the co-first authors.

Handling editor: S. A. Halse

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Zhao, Y.j., Qing, H., Zhao, C.j. et al. Phenotypic plasticity of Spartina alterniflora and Phragmites australis in response to nitrogen addition and intraspecific competition. Hydrobiologia 637, 143–155 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-009-9992-5

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